How much do you spend on physical fitness?

[Kronk]

Some of the comments in the Wednesday Weigh-in thread got me wondering about this. My expenses for 2007 were $235 per month combined for two people. For us, that included yoga and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes, as well as a trip for me across the country for a Hapkido seminar. That also included some gear I purchased.

Anyhow, between monthly membership fees, personal trainers, equipment buying, magic weight-loss pills or whatever, how much are you spending?

 

[Sarah in SC]

We spend our half of the trainer's bill, or $240. This is for 2 1/2 hour sessions each week. We buy shoes once a year or so, plus a couple of shirts/shorts, so that is probably $150 a year or $12.50 a month additional.
If the boss didn't pay for my half of the trainer, we would have a harder time reconciling this expense in light of our other goals.
We also buy fairly expensive food (grass-fed, local grown, etc).

 

[ziggy29]

Our local fitness club (the only one in a small town) charges $60 a month for a couple. And in reality, with a small house that has no room for equipment and the long, brutal summers here (NO WAY I'm walking/running in that), there's little alternative.

 

[bbbamI]

I probably spend $100 a year on good shoes. No membership dues here as I have (what I consider) a home gym. I've had the equipment for a long time - over the long run, the cost has averaged $100 a year. This cost should end in about a year.

'Course, there's the housework and yard work which are "free".

 

[W2R]

I get a partial reimbursement of my gym fees from my work. They pay $22/month, and I pay the rest. My share comes to $31/month.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Shoes: $100 a year
iPod Exercise gizmo: $30 one time
Heart Rate Monitor: $60 one time

No memberships, lift a few weights at home after my leisurely jog.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

monthly gym $34
monthly outdoor lap pool $16
year 2002 purchase mountain bike $2000
year 2003 purchase road bike $1500
year 2006 purchase beach cruiser $300 (replace 15 year old cruiser)
year 2007 purchase/install hitch/bike rack $350
so currently about $144/month factoring in current equipment but not including shoes, tubes, tires, helmet, gloves, goggles etc. boy, i should be in better shape for $144/month.

 

[blessed]

Built 140 linear feet of dry stack wall, 2 patios and back fill of 57 gravel and dirt (weight about 60 tons) over a 3 year period. No club membership, nice patios for entertaining, nice planting beds, solved the grade drop in the back yard. Health program going forward, additional plantings and weeding

 

[Nords]

I spend $790 for a year of taekwondo lessons and another $250 or so in belt-test & tournament fees. Our kid and I are about to start our fourth year.

I spent over $1800 on medical exams & orthopedic knee braces, too, but that damage was accomplished prior to taking up taekwondo and the expense was necessary to be able to continue.

Over the last six years we've spent about $800 total on three different surf boards & rashguards. The only expense after that has been transportation.

Yardwork is free!

 

[TromboneAl]

Now I feel better about the $70 or so I spent on dumbbells and weight plates.

 

[dumpster56]

200 dollars for 3 pair of running shoes. Lift weights at school Free. Trainer?? I am One. Free. Heck with what people pay for a trainer I should start my own business. But then again I would have to work then, and get insurance. Better to teach the part time at the schools, where I can use the weights for free.

 

[RunningBum]

Just guessing here, I'm just starting to try to track expenses more closely this year. But considering the benefits of exercise, I don't short change myself by going cheap.

shoes - 2-4 pairs a year, maybe more. I stock up when they're on sale, and I'm a bit ahead right now, but on average about $250/yr.

running clothes - maybe $100-150 year. I wear nothing but tech gear, cotton chafes too much. Like shoes, if I see what I like on sale, I buy it, so I don't have to replace at full retail if things wear out and I'm running out of clothes. I don't want to put myself in a position of not running because I have nothing clean to wear.

Race fees - I'm probably looking at about $500 for this year. Usually I do local races but usually once or twice a year I'll make a trip so there's some vacation-like expense too that I'm not counting.

Other accessories - I'm always buying something like the latest Garmin watch/heart monitor, mp3 player, Camelbak water pack, etc. Oh yeah, stuff like salt pills, energy bars, Gatorade, Gu, etc. Probably average at least $100/year, maybe more.

Floorball fees, $5/night for gym rental for our weekly pickup game, probably about $150/yr. I think I paid $40 for a stick, and am on my 2nd pair of court shoes (~$50-60 each) in 4 years.

I don't really count downhill skiing or golf as exercise. I pay around $3200/yr for membership to give me all the skiing and golf I want, plus the health club. Plus whatever for equipment replacement and ski clothes, etc. If I ever had to cut back on exercise and recreation expenses, this is where I'd do it.

 

[Walt34]

Um, lessee. $500 about ten years ago for a treadmill that I still use. Calisthenics in the basement - free. Long walks when the weather's decent - free. Mowing the lawn - I dunno, the mower's 20 years old. Might buy a trail bike this year.

 

[Rustic23]

0
We walk, and I don't count the tennis shoes as I wear them all the time.

 

[Rambler]

DW signed up for a gym some months ago, about $120 a month. I just signed up yesterday at the gym closest to my office, and the only one around here I could find that opens early enough to go before w*rk (DW's gym opens at 10am, as do most around here...can you even believe that?). Mine was $300 sign up fee and $190 per month. Remember we are in a very expensive Asian city...and these don't include any type of personal training or advice...can't wait to find out how much that costs.

BLESSED - can't wait to do my workout by doing my yard (back in the states). There is enough to do there to keep me in shape for years...

R

 

[playaman]

I feel really cheap compared to some of the above. I spend $25 a month for a gym membership, plus a pair of shoes every six months or so ($30 or so at a discount place) and new gym clothes from Krohl's once or twice a year ($40 tops cumulative).

 

[Notmuchlonger]

200 on shoes 1 pair around every 6 months. Bought a treadmill and some free weights. Probably around 300 to 400 a year averaged out. Probably works out to being positive. Since the crap you can get from being inactive is more than likely more expensive.

 

[TargaDave]

Y membership: $35/month
Road bike 2005: $700
Kiteboarding gear and travel: ~$2k/yr
shoes, misc: $300/yr

 

[Lakedog]

Running shoes: $200 or so
The rest is essentially free: pushups, crunches, swimming, basketball, kayaking (purchased years ago), etc.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

new bicycle : $300 every 2 years
bike parts : $200 / year
Bally's membership : $70/year

 

[Marquette]

I walk a pit mix for an hour a day... we run around the house for another hour or so. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but he's not exactly cheap. I'll wager I spend about $75 a month on him.

 

[Sandy]

$500 per year for a gym membership for me and 2 sets of shoes each year about $160. DH just walks, but I need the intensity and variety of step classes, rowing machines,and gliders for aerobics as well as lots of different weight machines. Doesn't include kid's activities.

 

[Mango1956]

Fitness costs money

 

[Alan]

Fitness costs money

Not if it lowers your health bills

For the 2 of us we spend $50/month at the Y (company subsidized) plus this year we spent $420 on a personal trainer.

Haven't bought a bike or Tennis racket for a few years, I don't keep track of tennis balls, bike gloves, shoes etc as this all goes down as entertainment in my book, whereas going to the gymn is like following Dr orders.

 

[Nords]

Anyhow, between monthly membership fees, personal trainers, equipment buying, magic weight-loss pills or whatever, how much are you spending?

Heeeeeeyyyyy, waitaminnit, didn't you guys own a Curves franchise?

Are you doing market research here?!?

Just kidding! I think.